Switch handle guard



Dec. 27, 1938. R sc -r Q 2,141,936

SWITCH HANDLE GUARD Filed Sept. 23, 1937 Ihventor Qichard H. Sc mitt, by Xrfi/wy f,

His Aot orney.

Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH HANDLE GUARD New York Application September 23, 1937, Serial No. 165,324

3 Claims.

My invention relates to guards for the operating handles of electric switches, and has for its object an inexpensive, quickly detachable guard for the handle of a switch.

More particularly, my invention relates to guards for switches of the type adapted to' be inserted in conduit wiring outlet boxes and provided with a cover plate with an aperture through which the handle extends. Such switches are used very widely, in fact, the cover plate and handle construction is almost universally used in lighting and small motor circuits. In the operation of electric motors, the handle has been found to be a hazard to workmen because of the danger of its being caught in the clothing of the workmen or struck by objects being handled. Thus, the motor may be accidentally started when the device driven by the motor is undergoing repairs or in such condition that its opera- 20 tion is dangerous.

In carrying out my invention in one form, I provide a quickly detachable guard which may be applied if desired to a standard switch without change in the construction of the switch. In one form of my invention, I provide a guard made of spring strip material which may be compressed to provide for the attachment of the guard.

For a. more complete understanding of my invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, Fig. l of which is a front view of the switch provided with a guard embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side viewoi the device shown in Fig. 1, while Fig. 3 is a view of the cover plate which the guard detaches therefrom. Referring to the drawing, I have shown my in vention in one form as applied to a switch or circuit breaker in of small size arranged to be inserted in a conduit outlet box with a cover plate il over it, the switch being held in the box and the cover plate on the switch by means of suitable screws. This cover plate H is provided with a rectangular aperture 52 through which the pivoted handle it of the switch extends. The switch l may be of any suitable construction, the de vice disclosed being substantially as disclosed in my Patent No. 2,082,660, issued June 1, 1937.

As shown in Fig. 3, the handle guard l4 em= bodying my invention consists oi a strip of resilient or spring material such as spring steel of 50 varying widths, the strip being bent to form a rectangular member with the two ends of the strip abutting each other at one and I5 of the rectanguar member. This end l5 and also the opposite end It are spaced apart suificiently to overlap the walls of the aperture l2 so as to rest against the outer face of the plate, the inner surfaces of the two ends being substantially flush with the corresponding walls of the two ends of the aperture l2 when the guard is in position, as will be observed in Fig. 2.

The two sides I! and I8, however, have their outer surfaces substantially flush with the corresponding walls or sides of the opening l2, or somewhat smaller, so that two locking projections l9 and 20 at the respective ends of the sides adjacent the ends 16 of the rectangular member can be inserted freely through the opening i2 so as to engage the inner surface of the plate. In other words, as seen in Fig. 2, the projections l9 and 20, when the guard is in position, extend through the aperture I2 and engage the inner surface of the plate, the outer side of the plate being en gaged by the end It of the rectangular member. This securely holds the end I 6 in place.

On the opposite end of the guard are two looking projections 2| and 22, these projections each extending laterally outward from the sides I7 and I8 so as to engage the inner surface of the plate and'hold the end of the guard in position.

The guard is inserted by springing the abutting ends of the strip at the end I5 to each side Y slightly so that they will slide past each other whereupon the two sides can be pressed together at that end suiliciently to permit the projections 2| and 22 to slip freely through the aperture it. Either before or after this is done, the upper end i6, as viewed in Fig. 3, is slipped into the aperture i2 and locked in position by the projections l9 and 20. Thereafter, the other end compressed as previously described, is inserted in the aperture i2 and the two sides sprung back so that the ends of the strip engage in abutting relation as seen in Fig. 3. The guard is thus firmly secured on the switch plate although it may be quickly released by reversing the procedure used in applying it.

As shown in the drawing, the two ends l5 and it are relatively narrow in a direction at right angles to the cover plate ll whereas the sides I! and I8 are relatively wide. In fact, the sides 91 and i8 extend outwardly from the plate I I distances substantially equal to the distance the handle I3 extends from the plate ii. Therefore, clothing or an object engaging the face plate would be prevented from. engaging the handle of the switch by the side members I! and E8. The sides are furthermore each flared outwardly at their ends as shown in the drawing to give more space for the finger of the operator in operating the handle.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, 0! course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I therefore contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A handle guard for an electric switch provided with a cover having a rectangular aperture through which a handle extends, comprising a strip of resilient material bent to form 8. rectangular member, two opposite ends of said rectangular member being arranged to engage said cover and the ends of said strip being in abutting engagement at one of said ends, a projection on each side of said rectangular member adjacent said abutting ends, said projections being arranged to extend through the aperture in the cover and laterally to lock over the edge of the cover, a projection on the other end of said rectangular member extending lengthwise of said rectangular member, said strip being arranged to be bent to disengage said abutting ends whereupon the sides of said rectangular member may be pressed toward each other so that said laterally extending projections can be passed through the aperture in the cover.

2. A handle guard for an electric switch provided with a cover having a rectangular aperture through which a handle extends, comprising a strip of resilient material bent to form a rectangular member, two opposite ends of said rectangular member being arranged to engage said cover and the ends of said strip engaging each other in abutting relation at one of said ends, a projection on each side of said rectangular member adjacent said abutting ends, said projections extending laterally so as to look over the edge of the cover, a projection on the other end of said rectangular member extending lengthwise of said rectangular member, said strip being arranged to be bent to disengage said abutting ends whereupon the sides of said rectangular member may be pressed toward each other so that said laterally extending projections can be passed through the aperture in the cover,

3. A handle guard for an electric switch provided with a plate having a rectangular aperture through which a handle extends, comprising a strip of spring metal bent to form a rectangular member, two opposite ends of said rectangular member being arranged to engage said plate and the ends of said strip engaging each other in abutting relation at one of said ends, a projec tion on each side of said rectangular member adjacent said abutting ends, said projections extending laterally so as to lock over the edge of the plate, a projection on the end of said rectangular member extending lengthwise of said rectangular member, said strip being arranged to be bent to disengage said abutting ends whereupon the sides of said rectangular member may be pressed toward each other so that said laterally extending projections can be inserted through the aperture in the plate, and said strip being shaped to provide a narrow portion at each end of said rectangular member and with wide portions at each side flaring outward and of substantially the same height as said handle.

RICHARD H. SCHMITT. 

